Fruit-grader.



G. S. HEAD.

FRUIT GRADBR.

- APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1912.

Patented Apr. 1913.

www.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

C. S. HEAD.

FRUIT GRADER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNI: 29,1912.

1,05'?,29. Patented Apr. 1, 1913.

To; all whom t may concern CARLOS S. HEAD, F ORANGE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH T0 WILLIAM A. ZIMMERMAN AND ONE-FOURTH TO CHESTER E. LAMME, 0F SANTA ANA, CALI- FORNIA.

l Be it known that I, CARLOS S. HEAD, a citizen of the.' United States, residing at Orange, in the county of Orange and State of California, have invented a new and use- `ful Fruit-Grader, of which the following is .aspecicati'on This invention relates to machines for grading or sizing fruit, andthe main objectA of the invention is to` provide a fruit grader which will size or lgrade the fruitwithout subjecting the fruit to any frictional pr other action liable to'V injure the delicate skin of the fruit.

I have found that fruitgradingor sizing can beeifectively performed with a minimum of injury to the fruit by means of a rope grader in which the fruit sizing aperture is formed by cablestraveling in parallelism and having sections thereof4 spaced apart at greater distances to provide for the different sizes. To' space the different sections Aof the cable yin this manner, it is necessary toV run the cables .over guiding pulleys and with any considerable number of sizes, the amount of friction thereby introduced i's such that undue strain is brought upon the grading rope.

An important feature of the present invention is the elimination of the strain by providing for driving of the 'grading rope at a plurality of points along its length.v

Another object of the invention is to provide means for causing the fruit to be'turned from time to time as it passes along the grading way, so as to present different aspects of the fruit t0 the grading apertures. Another object of the invention is to provide an'improvedvbin for receiving the fruit from .the grading device, such bin being rovided `with means for enabling the fruit to be raised into convenient position for packina l Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter. v t

The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of-my invention, and referring' thereto.; Figure 1 is a plan of one form of the grading machine.' Fig. 2 is a vertical se'ction thereof, on line m2-m2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is A a plan of a set of driving and guiding pulleys for the grading cable. Fig. 4 is aside elevation of one ofthe supporting vand guiding strips for a section of the gradin cable.. Fig.- 4 is -a side elevation 'of the riving FRUIT-GRADER.

.Patented Apr. 1, 1913.

means.- 'Fig'. 5 is a vertical section of such supporting and guiding strip, showing the adjusting means therefor.. Fig. 6 is a plan of another form of the grading machine. Fig. 7 'isa plan of a portion of the grading way with one of the fruit turning fingers adjacent thereto. Fig. 8 isa section on line 'w8-m8, Fig. 7. Fi 9 is a vertical section of another form oft e turning devices. Fig. 10 is a vertical section of one of the bins. Fig. 11 is a front elevation thereof.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 'the machine comprises a frame which may comprise longitudinal members 1, supporting posts 2 and transverse members 3 constituting a support for longitudinal boards or members 4,

and a longitudinal center strip 5, said center l strip being interposed between said boards 4 andspaced therefroml to form two elongated apertures or slots 6. The machine shown in the drawing is a double machine, having two grading ways for the front, and the two sides of the machine being alike, a description of one side of the grading device will sufiice for both. The u ppercorners of' the center bar 5 are grqoved as shown at 7- to formrunways forropes orcables 8 which run over pulleys 9 and return below the table,'each cross ropeor cable 8 forming'one side of the fruit runway or gradeway. The other side of the fruit Arunway or gradeway is formed by a' rope 10 which runs'in a groove 11 formed inthe upper inner corner of each of a plurality of strips 12,!sa`id strips being mounted on top of the boards or table members 4 tofslide toward or from the center bar 5 sov as to adjust the width'of each section of the gradeway. This adjustment of the strip 12 may be eecte'd by any suitable means, for example, bymeans of arms.l

Adriving pulley. The large guide pulleyl 1-9 preferablyhas its periphery somewhat far'- ther from the center of the machine than the smaller pulley and at a lower level .than-said smaller pulley, so that the grading rope as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 passes alongside the pulley 19, around the pulley 18, then backwardly and downwardly around thevpulley 19 and then forward under the pulley 18,

this inal lower run of thegrading rope be ingfsomewhat farther from the center ofthe machine than .the `upper" run, so as to provide tor the stepping of'one grade to the next larger one, the pulleys being so placed and supported onthe respectivestrips 12 that the upper -run of the rope which runs on the pulley 18 travels in the groove 1-1 0n the next preceding strip and the lower run after it leaves the pulley 19, travels inthe groove 11 of the next succeeding strip. lo provide for this l support the pulley 18 from the preceding strip by a bar or bracket 23 extending from and secured'to said pre'-l ceding strip and having a stud shaft 24 thereon :tor thepulley 18, and the pulley 19 is supported by aber or bracket 25 secured to the succeeding strip and extending rearwardly 'therefrom and carrying a stud shatt 26 'forming a journal bearing for the said receive the driv'ng ropes hereinafter described. Power 1s applied by any suitable means to the machine, vfor example, by a pulley 20 carried byA a shaft 31 which carries bevel gears 32 engaging with bevel gears 33 l on'pulleys 34, journaled on the table or frame 1, and provided with grooves for re#v ceiving, guidingand Idriving the grading rope 10. Each" pulley 34 is further provided with a groove 36 for receiving, a rope 37 x which runs lin groove 38 `for the guiding and driving pulleys 19 for the end Isection nearest the driving end of the machine. Similar pulleys 40 may be provided at the farther end of'the machine for receiving, guiding and driving the grading rope 10 and for receiving, guiding anddriving a rope 41 running ingroove 42 of the guiding and driving pulley 19 for the section at that end. A rope 43 connects each driving i and guiding wheel 19 tothe next succeeding driving and guidin wheel, the groove 88 of said wheel receivmg the rope 43 running from the next preceding wheel and the groove 42 receiving the rope 43 leading lto the succeeding wheel, or vice versa, so that pulleys. 19 are connected in a continuous series land the driving rope system is connected yat each end to` the driving' pulleys 34 and 40.` By this means,-I distribute the driving action to a number of points along the belt, preferablyasmany points as there mensen are grading sections, though it will be understoodthat the invention is not necessarily limited to driving at each and every section. Pulleys 9 may be driven from shaft illby 'chain- 44 running on sprocket wheel on shaft 31 and on shaft 9 carrying pulleys 9, the

grading ropesv9 and 10 `run at the same speed, so that there is no tendency to turn or rubthe fruit.

` In placeof utilizing the intermediate driv ing pulleys 19 as guiding pulleys, as above described, the intermedia-te driving pulleys maybe made as separate pulleys, v.as indicated at 45 'in Fig. 6, said pulleys 45 being journaledion the frame 1 and being operated 'by driving belts 46 which connect'the intermediatevdriving pulleys 45 and the end driving pulleys 34 and 40. In this case the run of the lcable forming the stepped side ot' t-he gradeway is guided by pulleys 47 vand 48 on the `respective l. strips 12, and the grading rope passes tr'st around4 pulley 48, then around the driving pulley 45, then around the pulley. 47 and then forwardly under the pulley 48 to the ynext section of the gradeway. The construction may be otherwise as above described. v

The means for turning the'ruit in its passage along the gradeway consists preferably of Afingersor obstructing members 5() preterably of soft yielding material such'as sott rubber, secured on supporting ,members 51 fastened to the side strips 12 preferably in suchmanner as'to enable the fingers to be moved into Y.andout of operative position. For'this -purpose the supporting member v51 .may be pivoted to the side vstrip 12 by pivot 52 and may be perforated at 53 to receive a pin 54 which-may be insertedin a hole 55 in the side vstrip to hold the obstructing member or fingers 50 in position shown inFig. 6, so that its inner end will extend into 'the path of motionl of the fruit passing along the gradeway. In case it is vdesiredto throw this turning means out of operation, the pin 54 may be withdrawn fr omthe hole 55, the supporting member 51 turned so as to yswing the finger 50 away from gradeway and 'held in this position' by lplacing the pin 5.4 in a hole 57 inthe .supporting strip. 'A number of -these turning' devices may be distributed along the gradeway itt suitable, interyals. In case a double machine is used as shown in the drawings, ,the fingers or obstructing members on the inner side of the gradeway may consist ot' elastic arms 58 on a fixed block 59'supported on the central 'strip 0r barl 5 of the machine and extending in each direction from the center into the respective gradeway on opposite sides. Theblocks 59 may be removably mounted on the'bar 5,'or

example, by dowel pins 60 or the blocks en-` gaging in holes 60 in bar 5.

Any suitable construction of bin may be 4drivin'ggears beingso proportioned that the '61 and adapted to engage at its other end with ratchet teeth G9 on the other side Vof the frame, the pivotal mounting of said lever being sufficiently loose to enable the lever to be swung into and out of engagement with said ratchet teeth. At the upper, inner end of the bin, a receiving apron 70 of suitable fabric is arranged to receive the fruit from a liogback T1 extending longitudinally under the central bar 5 of the machine.

The operation is as follows: The'driving means being set in operation, the driving cables 37, 4.1 and 43 are thereby7 operated, causingthe end pulleys 34 and 40 and intermediate pulleys 19 to be rotated and thereby imparting a driving action to the grading cable at various points along its length, the driving force being applied to the cable directly at or adjacent to the portion thereof which is passing around the guide pulleys, these portions being those in which the friction is developed tending to resist the move` ment of the rope so that accumulative action of such friction in retarding or stopping the movement of the rope is prevented. By driving the grading table at various points along its lengt-h as stated, l am enabled to use a cablewith a considerable, number of grades, for example, the usual .number of nine grades or sizes, without introducing sufficient friction to prevent the successful operation of the grading rope, and am thereby enabled to render practicable the rope grader which would otherwise be impracticable for the standard number of sizes. The rope grader is of advantage in that it does not of itself rub or grind the fruit, but carries it along in the position in which it is deposited so that the wear and injury to the fruitare reduced to a minimum. Vith some fruit it is desirable to pass the fruit along the grader Without turning, and 'with such fruit the obstructing fingers are turned on the ropes without being turned. With other fruit, for example, lemons, Which are elongated in shape, it is desirable to provide for bringing the fruit to position in which its minimum diameter from 'cheek tovcheek will be extended crosswise of the gradeway, and with such fruit., the obstructing fingers 50 are turned -to position shown in Fig. 7, so as to touch the fruit at one or the other end as it passes along, and set it lengthwise of the gradeway, these obstructing lingers being placed alternately on opposite sides so as to insure contact thereof with the fruit.

What I claim is:

l. In a fruit grader, a grading rope, pulleys carrying and guiding said grading rope, said pulleys being arranged to provide a se ries of graded sections in the grading rope, and means for driving said grading rope at a plurality of oints along its length, adjecent to the gui e pulleys therefor.

2. A fruit grader comprising a frame, av

straight grading rope extending along said frame, pulleys for carrying and driving said straight grading rope, a pluralityoi:l strips adjustably mounted on said frame, pulleys carried by said strips, a' grading rope carried by said last named pulleys, and means for applying power to saiddrving rope adjacent to said last named pulleys.

3L A fruit grader comprising a frame, pulleys thereon, a grading rope mounted on said pulleys, means for drivingV said pulleys, said plurality of guiding pulleys disposed at different points along the length of said grading rope, driving and guiding pulleys adjacent to said intermediate guiding pulleys and means for driving said driving and guiding pulleys to impart power to the grading rope at various points along its length.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California this 17th day of June, 19121 'CARLOS s. HEAD.

In presence of- ARTHUB P. KNIGHT, MARTHA M. LANGE. 

